Malia

Voicing anger, frustration and disappointment over the forced resignation of their pastor, more than 400 parishioners filled the pews of Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill last night to urge church officials to give the Rev. Thomas R. Malia a second chance. The heated, nearly three-hour meeting was filled with impassioned pleas from dozens of parishioners who recounted Malia's many pastoral deeds: He restored their faith in Catholicism, he saved their marriages, he attracted young people, he renovated the historic buildings and renewed the spiritual lives of the people inside them.

What a coincidence: Beanie Babies's new Sasha and Malia dolls The company that makes the popular Beanie Babies is hoping for two more big winners with dolls named "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia." But, no, the names do not refer to President Barack Obama's daughters, a Ty Inc. spokeswoman says. Hmmm. Ty released the 12-inch dolls as part of the company's "TyGirlz Collection." The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white-and-pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

One by one, as they poured out of Mass at Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill last night, parishioners said goodbye to their beloved pastor, the Rev. Thomas R. Malia, forced to resign for knowingly hiring a convicted sex offender as a music director. Teary-eyed men and women who said they were drawn to Catholicism by Malia lined up in the church hallway to hug and kiss him one last time. Families who credit him with bolstering membership by attracting young people moving into the neighborhood said, "Thank you."

On February 25, 2005, MARGARET "Chippy" MULLER BAUMMER; beloved wife of Francis W. Baummer; devoted mother of Philip F. Baummer, Mary Anne Mace, Vincent E. Baummer, Margaret C. Malia and Elizabeth B. Baummer; dear grandmother of Carville, Caroline, Elizabeth, Maggie, Abigail and Michael. Visiting at the E. F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 11750 Belair Road (Kingsville), on Tuesday 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Stephen's Church (Bradshaw), on Wednesday at 10 A.M. A Christian Wake Service will be held on Tuesday at 8:30 P.M. Interment St. Stephen's Church Cemetery.

About 70 people stood peacefully outside the Archdiocese of Baltimore's headquarters at Mulberry and Cathedral streets yesterday. Though they weren't chanting or making impassioned speeches, their signs conveyed a clear message: They want the Rev. Thomas R. Malia reinstated as pastor of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic churches. Malia was asked to resign last week by the archdiocese after he informed officials that in 1999 he hired Robert Gee, a friend he met when he attended seminary in Milwaukee, as interim music director of Holy Cross.

The pastor of historic Catholic parishes in Federal Hill and South Baltimore has been forced to resign for knowingly hiring a convicted sex offender as a music director, church officials said yesterday. The Rev. Thomas R. Malia, who has been pastor of Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill and St. Mary Star of the Sea parish in South Baltimore for the last three years, will celebrate his last Masses today, said Bishop W. Francis Malooly, an auxiliary to Cardinal William H. Keeler. The parishes were "twinned" in a 1995 restructuring and share a pastor.

What a coincidence: Beanie Babies's new Sasha and Malia dolls The company that makes the popular Beanie Babies is hoping for two more big winners with dolls named "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia." But, no, the names do not refer to President Barack Obama's daughters, a Ty Inc. spokeswoman says. Hmmm. Ty released the 12-inch dolls as part of the company's "TyGirlz Collection." The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white-and-pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

Pastor's removal is an affront to parishioners I am a lifetime parishioner at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. I was taught to respect authority, especially that of the church. But the decision by the archdiocese to force the resignation of the Rev. Thomas R. Malia as pastor of Star of the Sea and Holy Cross Church has greatly damaged, if not destroyed, my respect for the church's policymakers in their ivory tower on Cathedral Street ("Dozens picket archdiocese over priest's resignation," June 27)

Archbishop Spalding senior Malia Swieconek has accepted a full scholarship to play Division I field hockey at Central Michigan University in the fall.Swieconek, a high school All-America selection by the United States Field Hockey Association and a first-team All-Metro goalkeeper, closed out a three-year varsity career with a banner senior season for the Cavaliers.In 19 games last fall, she turned back 88 percent of the shots that came her way, averaging 13 saves a game with a total of 247.Swieconek, who carries a 3.5 grade-point average, considered a number of other Division I schools,including Boston College, Old Dominion, Boston University, Duke and North Carolina.

On February 25, 2005, MARGARET "Chippy" MULLER BAUMMER; beloved wife of Francis W. Baummer; devoted mother of Philip F. Baummer, Mary Anne Mace, Vincent E. Baummer, Margaret C. Malia and Elizabeth B. Baummer; dear grandmother of Carville, Caroline, Elizabeth, Maggie, Abigail and Michael. Visiting at the E. F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 11750 Belair Road (Kingsville), on Tuesday 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Stephen's Church (Bradshaw), on Wednesday at 10 A.M. A Christian Wake Service will be held on Tuesday at 8:30 P.M. Interment St. Stephen's Church Cemetery.

Pastor's removal is an affront to parishioners I am a lifetime parishioner at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. I was taught to respect authority, especially that of the church. But the decision by the archdiocese to force the resignation of the Rev. Thomas R. Malia as pastor of Star of the Sea and Holy Cross Church has greatly damaged, if not destroyed, my respect for the church's policymakers in their ivory tower on Cathedral Street ("Dozens picket archdiocese over priest's resignation," June 27)

In Baltimore City Bishop rejects request to reinstate ousted priest Representatives of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic churches met with Bishop Gordon D. Bennett yesterday at his downtown office in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade him to reinstate their pastor, the Rev. Thomas Malia, who resigned last month. Malia was asked to resign by his superiors after he notified them that he had employed Robert Gee as a church organist for 1 1/2 years. Gee, an acquaintance of Malia's from a seminary in Milwaukee, was convicted of a sex offense in 1997 for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at Mount St. Joseph High School, where Gee taught.

About 70 people stood peacefully outside the Archdiocese of Baltimore's headquarters at Mulberry and Cathedral streets yesterday. Though they weren't chanting or making impassioned speeches, their signs conveyed a clear message: They want the Rev. Thomas R. Malia reinstated as pastor of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic churches. Malia was asked to resign last week by the archdiocese after he informed officials that in 1999 he hired Robert Gee, a friend he met when he attended seminary in Milwaukee, as interim music director of Holy Cross.

Voicing anger, frustration and disappointment over the forced resignation of their pastor, more than 400 parishioners filled the pews of Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill last night to urge church officials to give the Rev. Thomas R. Malia a second chance. The heated, nearly three-hour meeting was filled with impassioned pleas from dozens of parishioners who recounted Malia's many pastoral deeds: He restored their faith in Catholicism, he saved their marriages, he attracted young people, he renovated the historic buildings and renewed the spiritual lives of the people inside them.

One by one, as they poured out of Mass at Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill last night, parishioners said goodbye to their beloved pastor, the Rev. Thomas R. Malia, forced to resign for knowingly hiring a convicted sex offender as a music director. Teary-eyed men and women who said they were drawn to Catholicism by Malia lined up in the church hallway to hug and kiss him one last time. Families who credit him with bolstering membership by attracting young people moving into the neighborhood said, "Thank you."

The pastor of historic Catholic parishes in Federal Hill and South Baltimore has been forced to resign for knowingly hiring a convicted sex offender as a music director, church officials said yesterday. The Rev. Thomas R. Malia, who has been pastor of Holy Cross Church in Federal Hill and St. Mary Star of the Sea parish in South Baltimore for the last three years, will celebrate his last Masses today, said Bishop W. Francis Malooly, an auxiliary to Cardinal William H. Keeler. The parishes were "twinned" in a 1995 restructuring and share a pastor.

In Baltimore City Bishop rejects request to reinstate ousted priest Representatives of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic churches met with Bishop Gordon D. Bennett yesterday at his downtown office in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade him to reinstate their pastor, the Rev. Thomas Malia, who resigned last month. Malia was asked to resign by his superiors after he notified them that he had employed Robert Gee as a church organist for 1 1/2 years. Gee, an acquaintance of Malia's from a seminary in Milwaukee, was convicted of a sex offense in 1997 for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at Mount St. Joseph High School, where Gee taught.

Archbishop Spalding senior Malia Swieconek has accepted a full scholarship to play Division I field hockey at Central Michigan University in the fall.Swieconek, a high school All-America selection by the United States Field Hockey Association and a first-team All-Metro goalkeeper, closed out a three-year varsity career with a banner senior season for the Cavaliers.In 19 games last fall, she turned back 88 percent of the shots that came her way, averaging 13 saves a game with a total of 247.Swieconek, who carries a 3.5 grade-point average, considered a number of other Division I schools,including Boston College, Old Dominion, Boston University, Duke and North Carolina.